Internet cafes are becoming increasingly popular, with more and more opening up in malls and gas stations. However, there is more than just web-surfing available at these cafes- many are home to illegal gambling in the form of computers that are made to look, sound, and feel like slot machines. Players buy time on these machines and use them until their time is up. The problem, state officials say, is that states do not collect tax revenue on winnings from these machines, which is why many states are beginning to more aggressively target these cafes, called “Internet sweepstakes cafes”. Unfortunately for states, as this USA Today story explains, these cafes are harder to shut down than they thought.
“Teen Sports Betting: A Growing Concern in Schools” | The Boston Globe
July 10, 2026
By Yvonne Abraham Nearly 400 underage users in two states were caught in the past year on sports gambling websites,